Another update on the Just Bento Cookbook

28 Oct 2011 by maki

I’ve been getting several emails asking about the availability of The Just Bento Cookbook. Apparently it has been selling out and is out of stock, even on Amazon.com. I am happy to say that the book is being reprinted again as we speak, so hopefully you should be able to pick up a copy before the holidays. It will be the 5th printing for the little book, which is just amazing to me.

There was a delay between this and the previous printing, mainly because the book’s publishing rights were technically transferred to another company. At the end of March (the end of the fiscal year in Japan), the original publisher, Kodansha International, suddenly decided to close its doors. Most of the publishing rights to their catalog were transferred to a brand new company called Kodansha USA. I know it may seem like the same company, but they’re not. Kodansha International was based in Tokyo, while Kodansha USA is a U.S. company based in New York, with entirely different staff. (I think a few former Kodansha International people may have transferred to USA, but I’m not certain. My editor did not.) For a while I was not even sure my book would be reprinted again, but I’m happy to say that it will be. The new printing will be a bit different from the previous ones - it will be printed in Canada, not Japan, and will not have a dust jacket I understand. But the contents will remain the same.

[Update: People have been telling me they’ve had their backorders at Amazon cancelled. That’s because, since the book is being reprinted by a new publisher for all intents and purposes, it will have a new ISBN, which Amazon does not have yet. That should be corrected soon, according to Kodansha USA.]

Several people have also asked me about a Kindle or other digital version of the book. The decision to issue a book in ebook format or not is up to the publisher, and so far they have not decided to go that route. So there’s no ebook version for the forseeable future.

So, that’s the news on the book! If you are waiting to get a copy, thank you for your patience!

Wow! I actually borrowed the book from my local library, and even then I had to wait weeks for my turn :) For those that are waiting, why not check your local library? But I liked the book so much I decided to get a copy for myself. I loved the easy and creative recipes.

I knew about bentos but I had never thought to try them until I saw your Book at my bookstore. I figured it would be an easy way to help me eat vegetables. I made my first bento this morning (took me way too long but I'll get better!) I can't wait to eat it for lunch!

If you go to the Amazon listing and look just below the image you will find a link that says "Tell the publisher I'd like to read this book on Kindle." Enough clicks and Amazon will pursue the option with the publisher. That is my undrstanding at any rate.